The present invention relates to apparatus and method primarily intended for testing the integrity of an access chamber system, at any stage prior to the completion of the installation, whereby there is an opportunity to correct any faults. The apparatus and method of the present invention may also be used on an existing access chamber system installation, to ensure that the installation is functioning correctly and/or to identify any faults or weaknesses in any part of the installation. This invention is designed to assist environmental issues of containing petroleum spirit (and associated vapor) within a chamber system and at the same time achieving a water free environment within said chamber.
The phrases "chamber system" or "access chamber system" are each to be interpreted as meaning any or all of access chamber itself, corbel, frame, neck or any extension piece(s), lid, suction lines or other utilities.
The installation of an access chamber involves a number of stages. Firstly, the chamber is fixed and sealed to the storage tank and this may be by one of the following:
(a) to the neck or lid of the manway lid, PA1 (b) to a separate upstand, or PA1 (c) to the fill pipe and/or other pipe flanges.
Then, one or more connections have to be made through the side wall of the access chamber for supply lines, electrical cables, and other utilities, and it may also be necessary to add an extension to the chamber, all of these connections must likewise be sealed. Finally, a corbel unit may be secured and sealed to the upper region of the access chamber, and this is also secured to a frame which is seated flush with ground level (the term "access chamber installation" is to be interpreted as encompassing any or all of these components).
At any or all of these stages, faults can occur in that the respective seals are not properly made. In particular, the interior of the access chamber must be adequately sealed to contain any spillage of petroleum spirit and/or associated vapor as well as against possible ingress of water from the ground surrounding the access chamber--the pressure on the chamber due to this ground water can be considerable, particularly in winter or wet weather conditions when the water table rises.
It is therefore the aim of the present invention to provide testing apparatus and method of testing which seeks to identify problems with the various seals used in the installation, ideally prior to the various stages of backfilling and concreting when remedial action would involve re-excavation, the testing apparatus conveniently being portable and suitable for a range of both round and square chambers of varying sizes.